Digital cameras have become very common and have largely replaced traditional film cameras. Today, most digital cameras incorporate an image display screen on the back of the camera. The display screen enables images to be composed as they are being captured, and provides user interface elements for adjusting camera settings. The display screen is also used to browse through images that have been captured and are stored in the digital camera's memory. However, due to the position of the display on the back of the camera, the user does not receive any visual feedback when the user wishes to be in the field of capture of the camera.
A user often desires to capture a photo of himself at a particular venue. This can be accomplished by holding the camera at arm's length and guessing if the camera is pointed in such a manner that the user's face will be in the captured image. This is difficult for many users, and multiple captures are often made to provide a single acceptable one.
Another technique is to use the timer mode of the camera. This requires that the camera be placed on a tripod or rigid surface, and the user must scurry from the camera to the field of capture within the time allotted. Most users are unwilling to carry a tripod, and often finding a good surface for placement of the camera is difficult. Additionally, the camera may move when the shutter button is pressed, and since there is no verification that the user is in the field of view of the camera, the image may need to be captured multiple times for the user to be properly captured. There is also the issue of allowing the camera to be placed at a distance from the user when the image is captured. This may be undesirable in crowded venues where theft is a possibility.
At times, other people may offer or be solicited to capture the image of the user. In addition to concerns about theft, the lack of control over image capture abilities and techniques of the other person may produce images that are not acceptable to the user.
Cameras sometimes incorporate mirrors to provide visual feedback. However, these can be difficult to see due to small size, or may be inconveniently located. These mirrors also add material and assembly cost, and cannot provide proper results when optical or digital zooming is used. The Palm Pre cell phone has such a mirror that can be deployed by sliding the backward facing display upward.
Cameras can also use a framing apparatus, as described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,565,947. This patent describes how a plurality of thin elements can be arrayed on the front surface of the camera around the lens in general correspondence with the field of view. Framing accuracy is improved for self portraits by canting each element outwardly from the optical axis at such an angle that an inside surface of every element is visible to a subject positioned within the field of view of the lens. Like mirrors, this thin framing element also add material and assembly cost, and cannot provide proper results when optical or digital zooming is used.
Some cameras, such as the Samsung DualView TL220, have provided an additional display on the front of the camera that the user can view while composing the image. While this is an improvement, it adds significant cost to the camera due to the need to incorporate two displays. Additionally, the image is small and can be difficult to see.
Some cameras, such as the Casio EX-P505, have an articulating display that can be repositioned such that the user can view the scene that is being captured. Unfortunately, arrangements of this type add significant cost and, are also fragile since the display is not safely contained within the confines of the camera body.
There remains a need for a cost effective and user-friendly method for improving the ability for a user to compose and capture a self portrait while holding a camera.